Street Lights: Hope in the midst of Darkness

It's dark, cold and the streets are lonely.
Why do I feel at peace where many are afraid?
Is darkness my friend?

The lonely streets seem to understand my pain.
People come and go, many without a care.
But every night, street lights shine on.

Who do they shine for? Are they showing me the way?
Take my hand they say, don't be afraid.
I'm not.  If only I knew you would stay.

                            Surrounded by darkness, loneliness, sadness; then I see a street light.
                            Why do people feel safe when they see street lights?
                            Does it provide comfort; security; hope in a dark place?

                            Is our world in such chaos that a street light feels like a security blanket?
                            A life without secrets; nothing hidden; no betrayals.... just light.

All is quiet; the gentle cool air brushes your face.
Voices can be heard at a distance.  You walk towards them.

You notice people gathering around, laughing, having fun.
But you don't fit in.  So you just stop and stare.
Wishing you could be like one of them.

But you're not; they will never understand.
So you leave, wishing someone would just take you hand,
Asking you to stay.

You hesitate. You look away. You walk towards them.
Your heart beats faster.

But wait... they will never understand.

A Bond Between Us

If you're familiar with the Downtown Dallas area, then you  know that this is the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) (front-right).

Something wonderful happens while I'm inside the museum. I can feel people's energy. I can feel their thirst for knowledge, for connection and their thirst for understanding humanity.

People are not there to people watch; not there to judge. They are there to admire and to learn.  

You find yourself in complete awe at some of the work that is in this place. Paintings that are several hundred years come to life. They speak to you. Sculptures that were created out of mere clay, in some instances, mud, rocks, marble and even wood are witness to man's ability to self-express. No limits, no borders, no separation.  Truly magical!

This picture was taken on a lazy Saturday afternoon in Downtown Dallas. The streets that day were lonely. Quiet. Peaceful.

Photographs such as this lead me to give buildings' human traits: feelings; emotions. Do they miss us when we are not present?  When we are not walking through their doors? Would they miss us if we never came back?

Memories of people talking in their hallways, in their elevators, now just echo what once was.  And they find themselves alone, sad, longing for someone to stop by and say hello.

This is Museum Tower, a 42-story residential high rise in Downtown. It is situated in the Heart of the Arts District. 

With a cost of $200 MM to build, I don't think I will be living there anytime soon! 

If I had to give this building a personality, it reminds of a Leo, just like me. Standing tall, strong; admired by many.

Leo's don't need to shout for attention; Leo's don't care if you come or go; Leo's are at the center of their own Universe!  

Have you ever noticed that pigeons, for the most part, are always present in areas of high human activity and even tall buildings for that matter? It's almost like they don't fear people. They are aggressive when someone drops a piece of food, a crumb or anything they perceived to be food. Why are they so comfortable with so many people walking near them and even over them?


I find it amazing how so many cultures, including our own, have taken advantage of using pigeons to carry out messages and have used them in time of war.  I read that some species of pigeons have been "domesticated" to carry out these activities.  

Another thing that I find interesting about pigeons is that, while their wings are strong enough to fly long distances, they don't migrate.  Isn't migration a key to survival for so many species of birds? Yet pigeons don't. Are they just too busy to care?  Do they have better things to do?  What binds them to stay around?

Pigeons... go figure!